Biography

Biography

Hadrat Fatima bint-e-Hazm bin Khalid (also known as Umm-ul-Baneen) was the wife of Imam Ali (a.s.) and mother of Hadrat Abbas (a.s.).

Hadrat Fatima binte Hazam bin Khalid Ibn al-e-Rabi'e Ibn-e-Amer Kalbi belonged to the clan of Banu Kilah, which was one of the noblest families amongst the Hashemites and famous for the bravery and valor of its warriors.

She was born in 5 A.H. Some years after the martyrdom of Hadrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.), Imam Ali (a.s.) expressed his desire to his brother Aqil bin Abi Talib (a.s.) to marry a woman of a brave and warrior tribe. Hadrat Aqeel was very knowledgeable in tribe genealogy and he immediately proposed the name of Hadrat Fatima binte Hazam bin Khalid and the marriage took place soon after.

Much earlier during 8 A.H, Al Imam Ali (a.s.) had been given the prophecy by Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) of a brave son who would be martyred alongside his brother Imam Hussein (a.s.) on the day of Ashura. Ever since then, Imam Ali (a.s.) had been waiting for the birth of that son which came in the person of Hadrat Abbas (a.s.).

Hadrat Umm-ul-Baneen came to the house of Imam Ali (a.s.) knowing very well that before her the chief of the women of paradise, Hadrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) was living in that house. She served Imam Ali (a.s.) in the same manner as Hadrat Umm-e-Salma had served the Holy Prophet (pbuh) after the demise of Hadrat Khadija (a.s.). Immediately stepping in the house, she vowed herself to act as a slave of the children of Hadrat Fatima (s.a.). Her sincerity was so respected by the children of Hadrat Fatima (s.a.) that they always gave her a high status and respect.

Fatima Binte Hazam was an accomplished and cultured lady, and bore Hadrat Ali's four sons, Abbas, Abdullah, Ja'far and Usman. The meaning of 'Ummul Baneen' is 'Mother of Sons'. All of her sons were martyred along with Imam Hussein. After their martyrdom, she requested people not to call her 'Ummul Baneen' ever again. When Imam Hussein (A.S.) was leaving Madinah for Iraq Hadrat Ummul Baneen asked her four sons, Hadrat Abbas (A.S.), Abdulla, Ja'far and Usman to sacrifice their lives in the sacred cause of Imam Hussein (A.S.).

On 10th Muharram 61 A.H., the day of martyrdom of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and his 72 faithful companions at the battlefield of Karbala when Hadrat Umme Salamah witnessed that the earth in the bottle given to her by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had turned into blood she raised the cry of "Ya Hussein" Ya Hussein" and declared that Imam Hussein (a.s.) has been martyred according to the prophecy foretold to her by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) about the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (a.s.).

Then Ummul Baneen gathered women of Madinah in her house and all cried for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (a.s.).This was the first ever Majlis conducted after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (a.s.).

Ummul Baneen had such sincerity toward the Holy Prophet's progeny that she loved Imam Hussein (a.s.) more than her own children. A feeling which was from the bottom of her heart. It was to the extent that when she received the news stating the martyrdom of her four children, she said: "Tell me about Hussein (A.S.)" and when she received the news of Imam Hussein (A.S.)'s martyrdom she said: "All of the arteries of my heart are torn. May all of my children and whatever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussein (a.s.).